Architecture's Most Prestigious Pritzker Prize Goes to Two Dublin Women

Original article posted to Veranda on March 4, 2020.

Dublin-based architects Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell, winners of the 2020 Pritzker Prize.

COURTESY OF PRITZKER ARCHITECTURE PRIZE

WWhen it comes to architecture accolades, it doesn’t get any better than the Pritzker Prize. For the first time ever, the prestigious award was given to two female architects—Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell. The Dublin-based professionals co-founded their firm, Grafton Architects, in 1978 and have been recognized for their vast knowledge of history, unique approach to urban design, and mastery of innovative construction. In addition to designing one-of-a-kind buildings, Farrell and McNamara, who are both graduates of the University College Dublin, have served as educators since the 1970s. 

From the UTEC University Campus in Peru that addresses the area's climate conditions, to the Offices for the Department of Finance in Dublin, featuring a design that allows for fresh air and panoramic views, Grafton Architects' creativity and thoughtfulness is evident in every project. The pair is also well versed in designing expansive spaces that manage to feel intimate, like the theater floor in Ireland's Solstice Arts Centre or Paris' Institut Mines Télécom in Palaisea. Grafton Architects was also responsible for curating the 2018 Venice Biennale.